Draft report on revitalization of downtown Westfield due next month

WESTFIELD - The Downtown District Plan Committee is prepared to release its draft report on recommendations for revitalization early next month, then solicit public comment for at least two weeks before presenting its master plan for redevelopment of the downtown in September.

The draft report will be presented to the public on or about Aug. 6 at the Rinnova Building at 105 Elm St., site of Westfield State College's Downtown Art Gallery. It will be posted at that time on the city's Web site: www.cityofwestfield.org allowing residents to comment.

This comes on the heels of the college's announcement last week that Barnes & Noble will establish a downtown college-community bookstore by the fall of 2010.

"Fantastic," said Ann D. Lentini, co-chairman of the district committee. "Location of the book store downtown is excellent, it is exactly what is needed to foster revitalization here. A book store was identified as a priority need for downtown when the committee conducted its survey on preferred needs in the city center," she said.

"We are also excited about our action plan that offers some immediate and some long-term goals for the city's future. There are a number of things that can be done in one or two years and then others that are projected over several years," Lentini said.

The co-chairman said the public comment period on the report will end about Aug. 20. It will be filed with the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which provided funding towards the effort, on Aug. 31.

"We will present the master plan to the community officially early in September," she said.

Lawrence B. Smith, city planner and community development director, said the plan will "clearly identify many steps in a collaborative effort among the city, Westfield's Business Improvement District and Westfield State College. There is no single silver bullet to revitalize the downtown and it is crucial that everyone, including local businesses, get involved."

Westfield officials and Westfield State College president Evan S. Dobelle joined forces late last year to bring new life to the city's downtown corridor, focusing primarily on the area along Elm Street from Broad to Franklin.

In addition to Barnes & Noble, which will also manage the on-campus WSC bookstore effective Oct. 15, the college plans to locate up to 1,000 students in downtown housing beginning in January.

Overall, plans for downtown upgrades could generate an estimated $100 million in private and public investment.

As many as 25 local businesses contributed $100,000 earlier this year to support development of the downtown master plan.